Professor Gretta Pecl, Professor Brett McDermott, Stephen Large and Fay Reeve received an AM
A scientist, a psychiatrist, a former Port Arthur CEO and a late football legend are among 13 Tasmanians to receive King’s Birthday honours. See the full list.
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From long-serving community volunteers to leading lights in science and medicine, 13 Tasmanians have been recognised with King’s Birthday honours in 2024.
They join 493 Australians to receive honours this year, the youngest being 29 years old and the eldest living recipient being 98 years old.
Four Tasmanians were awarded an AM for service in a particular locality or field of activity.
Professor Gretta Pecl received an AM for significant service to science, particularly ecological research, and to tertiary education.
Professor Pecl, 53, of Kingston is a leading Australian climate and marine scientist and lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report.
Professor Pecl said her AM was welcome recognition of the cutting edge climate and marine science happening at the University of Tasmania’s Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies,
“As a scientist it’s always good to have your work recognised and to help bring light to some of the issues we are working on like climate change,” she said.
Professor Pecl, who began her career in the water as a field technician, is devoted to promoting science in schools and the community.
Former Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority (PAHSMA) CEO Stephen Large, 69, of Hobart, received an AM for significant service to historical site preservation and to the community of the Tasman Peninsula.
Mr Large served as CEO of the PAHSMA from 2000 to 2021.
“I’m totally chuffed, there’s so many people at Port Arthur and people who had been associated with Port Arthur who would be as deserving,” he said.
Mr Large’s time at Port Arthur followed the 1996 tragedy and the achievement of World Heritage listing in 2010.
“We had to get out of the difficult situation after the shooting and get Port Arthur going again, because it’s such an important part of the Tasman Peninsula and Tasmania,” he said.
Professor Brett McDermott received an AM for significant service to medicine in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry.
Professor McDermott is statewide director of the Tasmania’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.
Trained at the University of Tasmania, his career has included work in natural disaster management and multiple mental health advisory roles.
“I feel in fact very, very humbled because I’ve worked for 30 years with lots of inspirational people and lots of people who go to work every day and sit with the lived experience of children and adolescents with mental health issues,” he said.
“Psychiatry is the area where you get to know the whole human being.
“If you can make a difference with a child that can affect their whole life, you might even be able to prevent an adult presentation, so I was drawn to that.”
Valma Fay Reeve, better known as Fay, received an AM for significant service to the community in a range of roles and organisations.
Mrs Reeve, 95, always wanted to be a Girl Guide as a child, but did not get involved until her own children joined.
Having helped establish the Boat Harbour Girl Guides, a required first aid course with John’s Ambulance began decades of involvement.
Mrs Reeve served in leadership roles with Girl Guides and St John’s from the 1960s to the 2000s.
She also served as chair of the Wynyard Tulip Festival.
Mrs Reeve said she was “absolutely overwhelmed” by her honour.
“You don’t do the things I’ve done for rewards,” she said.
Former Geelong and North Hobart Football Club legend the late John Devine was also honoured with an OAM for service to Australian Rules football and the community of Tasmania.
Mr Devine’s son Mark said the family were grateful for the recognition.
“We are all a bit pleasantly surprised, it is great recognition for dad but he would have been very humbled to have received it,” he said.
Two interstate honours recipients also have links with Tasmania.
Professor Konstantin Yastrebov, AM, was a long serving doctor at the Mersey Community Hospital and Mary O’Rourke, OAM, served on the boards of TasPorts and TAFE Tasmania.
TASMANIAN KING’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS
Professor Brett McDermott, AM, for significant service to medicine in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry
Professor Gretta Pecl, AM, for significant service to science, particularly ecological research, and to tertiary education
Valma Fay Reeve, AM, for significant service to the community in a range of roles and organisations
Stephen Large, AM, for significant service to historical site preservation, and to the community of the Tasman Peninsula
Michael Bailey, OAM, for service to business and industry in Tasmania
Anthony Coen, OAM, for service to railway preservation, and to pipe band music
The late John Devine, OAM, for service to Australian rules football, and to the community of Tasmania
Kenneth Gourlay, OAM, for service to sailing
Caroline Sharpen, OAM, for service to the performing arts through leadership roles
Leslie Williams, OAM, for service to the community of Tasmania
Detective Inspector George Cretu, APM, for a significant contribution towards quality policing and emergency services in Tasmania
Laura Butler, ASM, for a significant contribution to the paramedic profession
Jordan Emery, ASM, for leadership at Ambulance Tasmania
HONOURS EXPLAINED
The Order of Australia recognises Australians who have demonstrated outstanding service or exceptional achievement.
There are four levels of award:
AC: Companion of the Order of Australia, for eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree in service to Australia or to humanity at large
AO: Officer of the Order of Australia, for distinguished service of a high degree to Australia or to humanity at large
AM: Member of the Order of Australia, for service in a particular locality or field of activity, or to a particular group
OAM: Medal of the Order of Australia, for service worthy of particular recognition
Meritorious awards are awarded to members of particular services.
The awards in this group are awarded for ‘outstanding service’ and recipients are entitled to use the appropriate letters after their names.
PSM: Public Service Medal (Federal, State, Territory and local government employees)
APM: Australian Police Medal
AFSM: Australian Fire Service Medal
ASM: Ambulance Service Medal
ESM: Emergency Services Medal (Note: Emergency Services is plural).
ACM: Australian Corrections Medal
AIM: Australian Intelligence Medal
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